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AAP
AAP
Technology
Kat Wong

Australians trust scientists regardless of politics

A study has found right-wing Australians have more faith in scientists than expected. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Australians across the political spectrum trust scientists, bucking a trend in Western countries of distrust among the right wing, a study has found.

An international study of 71,000 people found women, older people, those with higher incomes, people with formal education and those with typically liberal or left-leaning views were more trusting of scientists.

But there is one trait Australians do not share with other similar countries, according to study co-author and La Trobe University lecturer Mathew Marques.

"In Australia there isn't a divide across political ideology," he told AAP.

While the study does not outline a clear cause, Dr Marques suggested this could be because specific fields such as climate science are less polarised in Australia compared with other countries like the US.

However, people - including Australians - who favoured social hierarchies were more likely to be distrustful of scientists.

"This may be because they see universities (that is, scientists) as institutions that weaken social hierarchies," the report found.

More than half of Australians believe scientists should be more involved in the policymaking process, and the nation's trust in scientists made it equal fifth behind Egypt, India, Nigeria and Kenya.

Out of 68 nations examined in the study, none recorded a low trust in scientists even though data was collected in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People across the world see scientists as benevolent and trustworthy, which could help them advocate for the public interest.

However, many also viewed scientists as being less receptive to feedback and Dr Marques says other research suggests this could be attributed to "tall poppy syndrome" in Australia.

"People are just generally distrustful of high-achieving people who are arrogant," he said.

"But scientists sit in this special place where they are high-achieving but they're also deserving of having achieved that success and the public usually are going to be somewhat favourable to them as long as they're not conveying themselves in an arrogant manner."

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